The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-08
KISSlAES REMlLE ALLY
CAUSED SIDNEY C. BURTON MORE
ANXIETY
Than All the Others OF the Criminal
Gang-A Little IHsIght Into
Her Character.

CLKyRLAND, O., April 7.-Sidney u.
Barton, the Cleveland man who fol-
lowed Kissane for years, and spent
$50 600 In the endeavor to bring him
10 Justice, kept q complete record OF
all his movements. His life was
hazardous almost momentarily, and
one OF his most formidable foes was q
woman, the vile OF Capt. Cummings,
who commanded the Martha Wash
ipgton, the boat that Kissape and bis
fellow conspirstoTs burned on the
Mississippi. The Captain owned an
interest in the boat, and the efforts OF
Mr.. Barton to prevent the payment Of
what he knew to be fraudulent insur'
ance c'kims, greatly infuriated the
woman, who wss OF the most desperate
character. Mr.. Burton, in his own
writing, tells OF his frst encounter
with her in the following manner:
"All other interviews having failed
TO win me over, they (the corspirators)
invited me to Cummings room OF
the Walnut Street House, Cincinnati,
probably to make me final and more
liberal proposal. l went, and Gum
mipgs commenced entresting me
10 stand by him, with the assurance
that everything should be right, when
Mrs. Cummings stepped into the
room. Her appearance attracted my
attention. She was daahing woman,
with compact figure, handsome
face, black hair and jet eyes that
flashed like Goals Of fire, She said not
a word, bat commenced pacing up
and down the room with q nervous
step, occai onally glancing at me with
strange, vindictive expression.
She reminded me Of tiRreHs walk.
ing up and down in a c5ge. l watched
her closely what she would say or do,
when che remarked in q short, 81 arp
voice: 81 can hit quarter OF q dollar
across this room every time" A cir
cumstance which am about to relate
induced me TO believe that she might
whip out pistol and shoot me on the
spot. thought, Ia view Of the case,
that discretion was the better part oil
valor, aud not wishing to furnish q
target for the pistol practice OF an in
furia cd woman, / hastily excused my
self on the plea Of another engage.
ment. The circumstance to which
allude and from which l had pre-
viously gated some idea OF Mrs
Cummings character is as follows:
She was a sister Of the Chapins, re-
siding in Cincinnati, when che be
came acquainted with and formed an
attachment for Cummings, who prom
ised to marry her. This was some
time before the Mexican war. Cum
mings, however, did not see fit to keeI
his word, and during the war went Il
Mexico with Rufus and Adam Chapir
and Kimbsll, where they kept s
gambling shop on the Rio Grande,
They were getting along in a flourish
ing way when they were startled by 9
strange and wholly unexpec cd ar
rival. 1t seems that Mrs Cumming
(then Miss Chaplin feeling her dignity
wounded by what she supposed TO be
the deeertion OF the Captain, deter
mined 10 vindicate the wrongs OF hel
sex and compel the iaithlesa lover tc
fulfill his pledge. She set about doini
this In q curious fashion. The In
dignant girl dressed herself in com
plete suit Of mems clothing, armeS
with brace Of pistols, and starte'
with q brave heart on her distant jour
ney. She found her way without de
lection to the Rio Grande, an,
hunted up the location selectet
by Cummings and the company
On the day OF her arIiva
the unsuspectin0 Cummings was deal
ing faro in the shop, when in CANT
the aGiauced lady. She ierked out
pistol, pointed il al Cummings head
and addressed him 6ercely: Capt
Cummings, you can either merry mi
or take this in your head In th
midst Of the Captains CONSERVATION
be found breath enough to say, why
Allie, my dear, lie thatyoup He yer
sensibly determined to marry her, an
the ceremony was performed by
priest tbs same day. 1t WAS q know
edge OF this history that induced me t
take rather hRsly leave OF Capt. Gun
miHgs's apartments"
Subsequently, Mr.. Burton, in h
pursuit OF the criminals, found Cap
Cummings In a gambling den in Ne
Orleans. On this OCCASION Mre. Gun
mings, who was with her husband, Q
tackled Mr.. Burton with gun aud
knife, but friend arrived at the scsl
in lime to save his life.